The present invention pertains to systems for aseptically packaging products in flexible containers or bags, and more particularly to aseptically filling flexible bags or containers fitted with standard fitments with various products, including food products, and in particular low acid content, flowable food products.
Currently, food products, and in particular low acid content flowable food products, are packaged in flexible bags in two primary ways. In a first way, flexible bags with standard fitments are positioned in a fill chamber to receive the food product routed to the fill chamber. The fill chamber is maintained in an overpressure condition to meet government regulatory requirements. The overpressure is designed to keep contaminants from entering the fill chamber. The overpressure is achieved through the use of sterile gas with chemicals designed to maintain the sterility of the fill chamber. However, when a standard fitment is opened and the interior of the bag exposed to the fill chamber, the pressure of the fill chamber may dramatically decrease due to the volume of the empty bag. To meet regulatory requirements, proof of positive pressure within the fill chamber is needed, and this is typically sought to be met by controlling and monitoring the flow of the sterile gas into the chamber.
In a second current method of aseptic packaging, customized or special fitments are utilized. As one example, the fitment may be closed off by a center membrane which keeps the overpressure gas in the fill chamber from entering the bag when the cap of the fitment is first removed. The fill tube is designed with a cutting nozzle that must cut through the membrane at the time of filling the bag. This is said to keep the interior of the bag from being exposed to the gas and/or chemicals used to maintain the overpressure condition in the fill chamber.
The present disclosure seeks to provide a system for aseptically filling flexible containers or bags employing standard fitments while maintaining a positive pressure in the fill chamber without the need for sterile gas and chemicals, but rather through the use of only steam.